New York Cities, Food & Wine
Seven new restaurants making waves in Manhattan
The Fifth Ave Hotel | Cafe Carmellini
From a revitalised Waldorf Astoria classic to a Levantine mezze spot and a playful Thai canteen, these are the most exciting new addresses fuelling New York’s appetite right now
New York‘s dining scene has never been hotter and these seven sizzling additions serve up memorable global eats, from Korea to Lebanon and Italy to Tokyo. Whether you’re after relaxed fine dining in storied surroundings, or simply in the mood for a generously layered sandwich, these spots have you covered.
Lex Yard, Waldorf Astoria New York
Manhattan’s most highly anticipated hotel reopening has seen the Art Deco Park Avenue beauty emerge from years under wraps to dazzling effect. Amidst gorgeous interiors at Lex Yard, Chef Michael Anthony’s menus celebrate contemporary American cuisine, whether à la carte or in a five-course seasonal market menu. There are the expected nods to history – how could they not serve a Waldorf salad, given that it was invented here? – alongside haute versions of classics. A sensational fully loaded lobster roll comes with truffle, caviar, trout roe and fragrant shiso, while flawless burgers, pastas and seafood platters ensure the restaurant reclaims its status as one of the city’s definitive see-and-be-seen dining rooms.
waldorfastorianewyork.com/dining
BKK New York
Just steps from Central Park, BKK takes casual Thai dining to new heights thanks to warm service, a wallet-friendly lunch menu and fun nods to the Big Apple in a number of its dishes. Case in point: the ‘Everything Spring Roll’, which riffs on an everything bagel by coating glass noodles, cabbage, shiitake, mushroom and carrot in an everything bagel crust. Dipped in a light, zingy vegan cream cheese pineapple sauce, it’s a revelation – and far less strange than it sounds. The more traditional kra pow, stir fried chicken with holy basil and jasmine rice, has the right spice waves, tempered by a squeeze of fresh lime. Paired with milky Thai iced tea with orange notes, US$22 is rarely as well spent for a two-course lunch in Manhattan.
Gui Steakhouse
Gui is hidden above a hectic stretch of 8th Avenue, but an elevator whisks you into an expansive, light-filled dining room where Chef Sungchul Shim serves up one of the city’s best value lunches. The three-course US$37 power lunch starts with a spicy yellowtail tuna tartar, perfect for scooping onto seaweed crostini, followed by a knockout burger or steak frites, then dessert. Even better, the $23 two-course prix fixe brings a delicate spring salad with English pea, citrus and sunflower seeds, followed by steak au poivre and bottomless fries. Book in, ask for a banquette, and enjoy an elegant meal with Korean touches that reflect impressive Shim’s Michelin star pedigree.
Mama Mezze
The snap of sharp, crunchy pickles, then za’atar dusted bread – hot from the oven, dragged through creamy, smoky baba ganoush and tangy labneh: the first bites at Mama Mezze on Broadway and 25th reveal that diners are in for a great time in this buzzing ode to The Levant and The Mediterranean. With everything designed for sharing, tables groan under dishes and a young crowd pose for selfies by the Instagram-friendly doorway and its orange tree. Be sure to arrive hungry, and don’t miss the sinful deep fried zucchini discs with tzatziki and charred lemon and oregano chicken skewers.
Aqua New York
Hong Kong-based Aqua restaurant group has pioneered sexy, high-end Asian and Italian cuisine across the globe, with this stunning space in Flatiron is the latest addition to their portfolio. Grand in scale but never impersonal, it’s filled with beautiful design motifs, notably at the long cocktail bar, which invites an aperitif as you peruse the menu, ‘Kyoto to Roma’. When you do, be sure to order their exquisite sushi and sashimi, before maybe venturing from Japan to Italy with mafalde pasta with slow cooked oxtail ragu. A white chocolate limone with lemon curd is a gently sharp and cleansing way to wrap. Before another cocktail, naturally.
Lobel’s Original
The word ‘institution’ is overused in NYC dining, but for meat lovers, Lobel’s Original lives up to the billing thanks to its history as a longstanding butcher. A prime locale in the cavernous basement of the Rockerfeller Building is home to their new sandwich shop, decked out in retro black-and-white tiles and a range of slicing machines. A quick lunch stop means turkey breast sandwich with picante provolone and some token veg in the form of added broccoli rabe. The key is the cup of jus you can dip it in, ensuring that it is deliciously moist – and utterly impossible to eat gracefully.
Café Carmellini, Fifth Avenue Hotel
Dining rooms don’t get much more striking than Café Carmellini at Fifth Avenue Hotel, thanks to sleek contemporary chandeliers and a soaring double height ceiling that allows a majestic mature tree to steal the show – that is, until the food arrives. Well-heeled diners kick back at generously spaced tables that quickly fill with elegant seafood-focused appetisers such as impeccable crudos, oysters à la pomme and Japanese sardine toast. Eponymous Chef Andrew Carmellini’s memorably named Duck-Duck-Duck Tortellini – where duck appears in the pasta filling, a foie gras foam and as a decadent demi-glace sauce – is utterly unforgettable.
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